US Ambassador FYI, here is what's come in to the Blog that relates to this office/rank. For recent questions sent in, check out Robert Hickey's Blog . For specific offices/ranks, check out Robert Hickey's On-Line Guide . How to Address a Retired / Former US Ambassador? How do I address a retired American Ambassador? He was a member of the U.S. Foreign Service so he was a diplomat for a long time before he was an ambassador. -- Carol Bentley How do I address someone who served as an American Ambassador? He was a close personal friend of The President and served for four years. -- Keith Inge Dear Ms. Bentley & Mr. Inge: Any retired or former ambassador is addressed on the envelope, or in the address block of the letter, in the standard style used for addressing high US officials: The Honorable (Full name) And, in the salutation or conversation he/she would be addressed as: Dear Ambassador (Surname), The difference between ambassadors will arise when you introduce them, describe them, give their title, or identify them in writing. How to identify a political appointee who served as a Ambassador? Those appointed to serve as a U.S.

ambassador after a career in another field (typically they serve just one administration, more or less) are introduced as: Ambassador of the United States to (Name of Country) from Year to Year or Former Ambassador of the United States to (Name of Country) Who can be identified as a "Career Ambassador, Retired"? There are certain individuals who can be identified as a Career Ambassador. They have been accorded the “Personal Rank of Career Ambassador” by the President. If you do a web search for "career-ambassador U.S. Department of State" you find the list. There aren't many. This small category of ambassadors is introduced or identified as: Career Ambassador of the Foreign Service of the United States of America, Retired Who can be identified as a "Ambassador, Retired"? Career U.S. Foreign Service Officers who have served as a U.S. Ambassador at one or more U.S. embassies are introduced or identified as: Ambassador of the United States of America, Retired How to Address an Ambassador: Your Excellency? or The Honorable? I see some ambassador's names written as The Honorable (full name) and others as His Excellency (full name). Which is correct?

The ambassador who is coming is the French Ambassador. How should I write his name? ~ The Diva of Diplomats 1) An ambassador of the United States is addressed by US citizens as: The Honorable (full name) The Ambassador of the United States of America (Address) The form -- the Honorable -- is used because US citizens formally address their own officials as the Honorable (Full Name). 2) Any foreign ambassador is addressed as: His/Her Excellency (full name) The Ambassador of (official name of country) (Address) Form #2 is standard around the world for addressing ambassadors. Even US ambassadors are addressed as His/Her/Your Excellency when they serve abroad by citizens of the countries in which they are serving. Thus, the French Ambassador to the USA is addressed as: His Excellency (full name) The Ambassador of the French Republic (Address) How to Address Current Ambassadors At-Post (In the Country where They Serve) vs. Back Home (In the USA)? We are doing an overview of usage of the title Your Excellency to the Ambassadors (of the State and accredited to the country) when accompanying their Heads of State or Government abroad.

I would like to know - 1) Would you address your Ambassador (USA ambassador accredited in UK) with "Your Excellency" when taking part of the official visit by the President of the USA to UK? 2) Would you address UK Ambassador accredited in USA with "Your Excellency" when taking part of the official visit by the President of the USA to UK? -- Tina Dear Tina, FYI, your questions are answered in my book in the chapter on Diplomats and International Officials. 1) Foreign ambassadors at-post In the US we follow the standard international practice of addressing accredited current ambassadors ... from one head of state to another head of state ... as "His Excellency John Jones," "Her Excellency Mary Jones," "Your Excellency" or "Ambassador Jones" the last being the least formal. 2) Foreign ambassadors when back home in their own country In the US, US citizens follow our standard practice of using "The Honorable" for everyone appointed by The President. So we address US ambassadors as "The Honorable Henry Smith" or "Mr. Ambassador" or "Ambassador Smith" ... the last being the least formal.

Your questions: Would you address your Ambassador (USA ambassador accredited in UK) with Your Excellency when taking part of the official visit by the President of the USA to UK? I would as a US citizen address a US Ambassador would "The Honorable Henry Smith" or "Mr. Ambassador" or "Ambassador Smith" I would not use the British spelling of "Honourable" just because we were in the UK ... since the nicest way to write a name is the way one sees it at home ... which would be "Honorable" Would you address UK Ambassador accredited in USA with Your Excellency when taking part of the official visit by the President of the USA to UK? I would as a US citizen always address a UK ambassador as "His Excellency John Jones" "Your Excellency" or "Ambassador Jones" the last being the least formal. -- Robert Hickey How a Should Non-US Citizen Address an American Ambassador ? I am writing an invitation letter to the ambassador of the United States to Japan. According to your book the ambassador should be addressed by US citizens as The Honorable John V. Roos. But I am a Japanese citizen. I will be writing to him in care of the US Embassy in Tokyo.

Should I address him as The Honorable (Full Name) as the U.S. citizens do? Or should I address him as His Excellency (Full Name)? ~ T. Suzuki Dear T. Suzuki: Using The Honorable (Full Name) would be honoring his US tradition -- would be how a US citizen would address him -- and how he would expect to be addressed in the USA (at home). It is not wrong for you to use it. Using His/Her Excellency (Full Name) will follow the diplomatic custom -- and how he would expect to be addressed outside the USA and in Japan. Both are correct, but use Excellency since you are in Japan and are a Japanese citizen. -- Robert Hickey Not Finding Your Question Answered? Below are other topics covered in my blog and at right is a list of officials, Between the two I probably have what you are looking for. After hunting around a bit, if you don't see your question answered send me an e-mail . I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day (unless I am traveling.) If I think your question is of interest to others, I will post the question & answer – with your name and any personal specifics changed.

-- Robert Hickey What is the proper way to address an ambassador? | Reference.com What is the proper way to address an ambassador? A: Quick Answer If the ambassador is American, address him as "The Honorable (full name) Ambassador of the United States of America." If the ambassador is foreign, address him as "His Excellency (full name) Ambassador of (official name of the country)." These forms of address are valid for both envelope and letter labelling. How to Address a Letter to an Embassy (with Examples) - wikiHow Formatting Your Letter 1 Type your letter on a computer. Handwritten letters are hard to read, and may not get any response. If you want your letter to be read and taken seriously, it's important to type it neatly using a recognized business letter format. [2] Use a standard word-processing application, even if you plan to deliver the letter using email. It typically is better to send an attachment than to write your letter in the body of an email. However, you should probably check with the embassy first to see what is preferred. Most word-processing applications have a template that you can use to create a business letter. These templates typically will set your margins and paragraph styles for you.

Use a standard, readable font such as Times New Roman or Helvetica, in a 12-point size. Do not use script fonts. #Search for templates. In most cases, you'll be writing to the embassy regarding an immigration issue – either on your own behalf or for a friend or family member. There are a number of immigration assistance websites that have letter templates for various issues. [3] These templates give you suggested language to use so you can more easily write and address your letter. Don't copy them verbatim, though. Read them carefully and make sure the suggested language suits your situation. If any of it doesn't apply, don't include it. Look into the background of the website before you use their suggested language. Most of these websites have an "about" page where you can find out who is in charge of the website. Make sure it's an individual or organization you can trust. 2 Use block paragraphs. Traditional business letters are written in single-spaced, left-justified paragraphs with a double space between paragraphs. Using a double-space means you don't have to indent the first line of each paragraph.

[4] If you're writing in a language that is read from right to left, such as Arabic or Hebrew, your paragraphs would be right-justified. 3 Put the date at the top. The first line that you type will be the date that you are sending the letter. Your word-processing program may automatically insert the date if you're using a template. If you don't plan on mailing your letter for a few days, you'll need to adjust this date to reflect the date of mailing. [5] Generally, you shouldn't worry if you end up being a day off. For example, you could finish your letter intending to mail it that day, but not make it to the post office until after the close of business. That would mean you'd have to mail your letter the next day, but you wouldn't have to print up a new letter with the different date. However, while delaying a day or two is fine, if you end up not being able to mail the letter for a week or longer, you probably want to print a fresh copy with an adjusted date. Your reader will expect the date on the letter to be identical or close to the date of the postmark. 4 Find the appropriate address.

The top of your letter will include an area for you to write your own name and address, then the name and address of the person to whom you're writing. Call the embassy or check its website to learn the address to which you should mail your letter. [6] Keep in mind that many larger embassies will have different addresses for you to use depending on the reason for your letter. If you don't already know, you'll also need to find out the correct person to address who can help you with your issue. Internet sites, such as Project Visa or Embassy World, as well as Internet searches for the country and the word "embassy" can help you identify the right person. You also can call the embassy directly to identify the best contact. Type the name of the person you are addressing, the name of the embassy and the address of the embassy to which you are writing. Write this in the same format as you would write it on an envelope for mailing. For example, if you're writing to an embassy staff member at the Canadian embassy, you would write "Mr. Potter, Canadian Embassy" on the first line of the address block, followed by the physical address. If Mr.

Potter is the ambassador, you would write "The Honorable Mr. Potter, Ambassador of Canada, Canadian Embassy." Note that for many countries the correct title for an ambassador is "Excellency," as in "His Excellency Mr. Potter, Ambassador of Canada, Canadian Embassy." 5 Write a subject line. Following the addresses, include a line that lets the recipient of your letter know why you are writing and what the letter is about. You don't have to include your name in the subject line, and it doesn't have to be a full sentence. [7] For example, you might write "Request for tourist visa for parents" or "Invitation to French Consulate party." If you're writing in English, the subject line typically is preceded by the letters "RE," a Latin abbreviation that essentially means "regarding." Your subject line enables the person who receives your letter to direct it to the right member of embassy staff, in the event that you've sent it to the wrong person. With a subject line, they can do this quickly without having to read the whole letter. For this reason, a subject line is particularly important if you haven't been able to identify a specific person.

Part 2 Writing Your Letter 1 Research the etiquette used in the country to which you are writing. Different countries have their own formalities and diplomatic protocol for addressing ambassadors and other members of embassy staff. [8] You may be able to find this information on the embassy's website, or by doing a quick internet search using the country's name with words such as "etiquette," "diplomatic protocol" or "forms of address." Keep in mind that in countries that have a monarchy and recognize nobility, there may be nobles who serve as ambassadors or in other embassy positions. These titles may supersede any general title for members of embassy staff. Your letter should be written in a formal tone, using the utmost in politeness and courtesy. If you're writing in a language that has a formal "you," such as French or Spanish, you should use that. Pay careful attention when writing to the ambassador specifically, as the title differs depending on whether you are a citizen of the country for which the individual is serving as an ambassador.

If you are a citizen of the same country as the ambassador, you may address them as "The Honorable." However, if you are a citizen of a different country, you typically must call them "Her [or His] Excellency," following diplomatic custom. [9] Make sure you have the correct gender – don't just assume based on the name. 2 Start with your greeting. After you've finished the address blocks and subject line of your letter, you're ready to begin the letter itself. Use a formal greeting and address the person to whom you're writing by their full title. [10] To address the person correctly, you'll need to follow the correct etiquette or diplomatic protocol based on your research. If you're addressing the consul general or any other embassy employee, you'll generally use their full name. For example, you might write "Dear Mr. Potter." However, pay attention to any other titles the person might have, such as if they are a member of the nobility or have a doctorate. Use "Dear Honorable Ambassador" if you are addressing the ambassador directly.

If you don't know the name or gender of the person to whom you're writing, you can begin your letter "Dear Sir or Madam." However, you should make every effort to address your letter to a specific person. If you get the wrong person, it can always be rerouted. Follow the greeting with the punctuation customary in the embassy's country. In some, a comma is appropriate, while others follow the greeting with a colon. 3 Introduce yourself. Double-space after your greeting and being your letter by letting the receiver know who you are. Include any identification information necessary, such as any application numbers or reference numbers that are related to the subject of your letter. [11] The first sentence should state your name and your country of citizenship. Follow that with any additional identification information that is relevant to your reason for writing. Follow the first sentence with a brief description of your reason for writing. This should be no longer than a sentence or two. 4 Explain your reason for writing. In the remaining paragraphs of your letter, you will elaborate on the background of your case, including any information the recipient will need to properly respond to your letter.

[12] The length of your letter, and the contents of the remaining paragraphs, will depend on your reason for writing. If you need to give an extended background or timeline of a situation to which you want the ambassador or another embassy official to respond, this may be lengthy. If you're writing for a procedural reason, such as to request a visitor visa, your letter typically shouldn't be more than three paragraphs long, and shouldn't go for more than a page or two at most. Keep your writing clear and concise, and use formal language throughout. If you address the person to whom you're writing anywhere in the body of your letter, use their official title and follow any other rules of etiquette you gleaned from your research. 5 Add your closing. The final paragraph of your letter typically is only a sentence or two that tells the recipient what action you want them to take in response to your letter. If you expect a response within a certain time frame, it should be mentioned here. [13] If you need something specific from the person, state what that is and the timeframe within which you need it. Remember to allow for time for mailing. Be careful giving a deadline, particularly if you're writing to the ambassador or a higher-ranking staff member.

Instead of making a demand, say something like "Please be advised that I must have the document I requested within one month or I'll not be able to complete my application," or "Please respond by the end of this month so I can meet my deadline." Follow that with a sentence thanking the recipient for their time and attention. For example, you might write "I appreciate that you have many demands on your time. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter." If you are unsure whether you sent your letter to the correct person, you may want to include a note to that effect. For example, you might write "If there is someone else at the embassy better capable of handling my issue, I ask that you kindly forward this letter to them." Part 3 Sending Your Letter 1 Finalize your letter. When you've finished writing your letter, proofread it carefully and correct any typographical errors and mistakes in grammar or punctuation. You may want to read your letter out loud to make sure it reads easily. [14] End your letter with a closing greeting such as "Sincerely yours," and leave a few blank lines for your signature.

Below that, type your name and address, along with any other identification or contact information you think is necessary, such as your phone number or email address. If you're including any other documents with your letter, list them at the bottom of your letter so the reader knows what attachments to expect. You also can use this list as a checklist for yourself to make sure you've included everything necessary. Print your final letter and sign it using a pen with blue or black ink. Check the date on your letter before you send it and make sure you don't need to adjust it forward. When you've signed your letter, make a copy of the signed letter for your own records. 2 Gather any attachments. If there are any additional documents that you need to include with your letter, make copies of them. Find out if you are expected to send originals or if copies will suffice. If you must send originals, make a copy for your own records before you send the document. [15] If you're sending original documents, it's generally best to use a larger manilla envelope that will allow you to mail them without folding them.

For copies, use a standard letter-sized envelope unless you have more than three or four sheets, in which case it's generally better to use a larger manilla envelope and leave them flat rather than folding them. Mark each copy or document carefully in case they get separated from each other. 3 Mail your letter. Once you have everything in an envelope, you'll need to make a trip to the post office to ensure you have correct postage on the letter and have formatted the address correctly, particularly if you are mailing it to a foreign country. [16] Include your name and the return address on the envelope. This will be written either on the back of the envelope or on the upper-right-hand corner, depending on the country's custom. The name and address of your recipient should be written in the middle or lower-right portion of the envelope, again depending on the country's custom. Use the recipient's formal title if applicable. You may want to wait until you get to the post office to address your envelope, or research formatting ahead of time. If you're handwriting the addresses on the envelope, use a ballpoint pen so the ink won't smear, and print carefully or write in all caps.

Don't write in cursive or script on the envelope, as it is difficult to read. Community Q&A How do I write a letter to an embassy to close my passport file? wikiHow Contributor If you wish to surrender your passport, you typically can do this through your local passport or immigration office. They will have a form for you to complete, but you generally shouldn't have to write a letter to an embassy for this. I wrote to the Indian embassy about getting a medical report and still have not received anything. What do I need to do next? wikiHow Contributor If you have not received a response to your letter and sufficient time has passed, contact the embassy to follow up. Make sure you have any necessary information about your case, such as any identification numbers. How do you write a letter to the embassy for a death certificate? wikiHow Contributor Consular vital records typically are handled specifically by the consular vital records office, and may require a fee. There may be a specific form for you to fill out, which may be more efficient than writing a letter. Call the consulate's office or check their website.

Communicating for Diplomats - e Diplomat Communicating Addressing Others Although guidelines exist, proper forms of address vary greatly from culture to culture. Be sure to check local customs, but a few general rules follow. The spirit of formality among diplomatic representatives usually means not addressing others by their first names as quickly as is done in the United States. One should rely on courtesy titles until invited to do otherwise. Socially, one can refer to a spouse by their first name or as "my husband," or "my wife" rather than as "Mr./Mrs. Smith." When dealing with household employees however, you should still refer to your spouse as "Mr./Mrs. Smith." Ambassadors are addressed as Mr./Madam Ambassador or Ambassador Jones. Only by special invitation or long friendship should one address an ambassador by first name and then only when not in the public eye. In indirect address, refer to the ambassador as "the ambassador", with his/her spouse as "the ambassador and Mr./Mrs. Jones", or if the ambassador's spouse is a woman who kept her maiden name after marriage, "the ambassador and his wife, Ms.

Smith." An ambassador of the United States may continue to be addressed as "Mr./Madam Ambassador" after retirement or after returning from his/her duties abroad. In some French-speaking countries, the wife of the ambassador may be referred to as Madam Ambassador. Therefore, in those countries, refer to a female ambassador by her last name (Ambassador Jones) to avoid confusion and ensure that she receives her due respect. Those of rank below Ambassador are addressed as Mr., Ms. or Mrs., if marital status is known. Introductions The purpose of making introductions is to exchange names between people so that a conversation can follow. For a formal occasion, the traditional "Mrs. Smith, may I present Mr. Jones?" is used internationally. For less formal occasions simply stating the two names, "Mrs. Smith, Mr. Jones," is acceptable. Making personal introductions (i.e., introducing oneself) is perfectly acceptable and encouraged. Adding context about yourself and your role is helpful.

For example, "Hello, I'm Jane Smith, Vice Consul at the United States Embassy." In English, the accepted, formal response to any introduction is, "How do you do?" Informally, a smile, "Hello," or, "It's nice to meet you," are fine. Other languages have very particular phrases, so be sure to learn them upon arriving at post. When making introductions, honor is recognized by the name spoken first. Courtesy gives honor to those who are older, higher in rank, titled, have a professional status, or are female. However, women are introduced to ambassadors, heads of state, royalty, and dignitaries of the church. To make the introductions more pleasant, tell each individual a bit of information about the other. This encourages the conversation to continue. As they do when a woman enters the room, men should rise when being introduced to a woman. In some countries, a man kisses a married woman's hand. Men also rise when being introduced to another man. Women should rise when being introduced to another woman for whom she wishes to show great respect, such as the hostess, a very distinguished woman, or much older woman. In some countries, women rise when introduced to all others.

Throughout the world, greeting and leave-taking customs may include handshakes, salutatory gestures or other specific expressions. If there is such a tradition, use it with host country nationals, foreigners and fellow staff members. Failure to abide with tradition may be interpreted as rudeness or a lack of respect for colleagues. The best and most courteous way to handle recognizing someone without recalling his or her name is to mention your name again. For example, "Good evening, I'm Jim Smith. We met recently at the ambassador's home. I'm pleased to see you again." More than likely, he/she will reintroduce himself/herself. Starting from the assumption that he/she may also not remember your name could save both of you potential embarrassment. Titles Forms of address for foreign government officials and people holding professional, ecclesiastical, or traditional titles vary among countries. The correct local usage can be verified at post. Following are titles for US and some foreign officials that are widely used in both spoken and written address. It is appropriate to begin letters and refer to others directly and indirectly with the following titles. Diplomatic Titles Chiefs of Mission Mr./Madam Ambassador (this also applies to an ambassador with a military title), or Ambassador Reed.

Sir Richard - British ambassador who is a knight (Sir Richard's wife would be addressed as "Lady Smith".) Lord Montgomery - British ambassador who is a baron Mr./Mrs. Douglas or Ms. Williams - the ambassador's spouse Chargï¿½ d. Affaires Ministers and Others Mr./Madam Taylor Although the US does not use the term, "Excellency", some countries do when referring to ambassadors. Even if the host country uses the term "Excellency", American chiefs of mission in those countries are addressed as "Mr./Madam Ambassador" by US citizens. Foreign chiefs of mission who are accredited to the US are also referred to as ambassadors. Writing | Addresses for Letters Tip: Proper Address to a Foreign Ambassador Writing Jobs Proper Address to a Foreign Ambassador Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Addresses for Letters and other Writing topics. What is the proper way to address correspondence to an ambassador of a foreign nation? Proper Address to a Foreign Ambassador The salutation for a letter to an Ambassador to the U.S (a foreign Ambassador) should read: Excellency or Dear Mr./Madam Ambassador.

The form of address for a foreign Ambassador should be: His/Her Excellency (full name), The Ambassador of (place name). Also, the salutation for a letter to a U.S. Ambassador should read: Sir/Madam or Dear Mr./Madam Ambassador. And the form of address for a U.S Ambassador should be: The Honorable (full name), The Ambassador of the United States. Foreign Ambassador to the US FYI, here is what's come in to the Blog that relates to this office/rank. For recent questions sent in, check out Robert Hickey's Blog . For specific offices/ranks, check out Robert Hickey's On-Line Guide . How to Address an Ambassador: Your Excellency? or The Honorable? I see some ambassador's names written as The Honorable (full name) and others as His Excellency (full name). Which is correct? The ambassador who is coming is the French Ambassador. How should I write his name?

~ The Diva of Diplomats 1) An ambassador of the United States is addressed by US citizens as: The Honorable (full name) The Ambassador of the United States of America (Address) The form -- the Honorable -- is used because US citizens formally address their own officials as the Honorable (Full Name). 2) Any foreign ambassador is addressed as: His/Her Excellency (full name) The Ambassador of (official name of country) (Address) Form #2 is standard around the world for addressing ambassadors. Even US ambassadors are addressed as His/Her/Your Excellency when they serve abroad by citizens of the countries in which they are serving. Thus, the French Ambassador to the USA is addressed as: His Excellency (full name) The Ambassador of the French Republic (Address) How to Address a Former/Retired Foreign Ambassador? What is the proper title and salutation I should use to address Thorvald Stoltenberg who was once an ambassador of Norway. He has had several positions including Ambassador to the UN. -- F. P. Dear F. P.: 1) He is no longer an Excellency. Only currently accredited ambassadors are addressed as Excellency.

2) Former ambassadors are addressed as Ambassador (Surname) for life. At an official event with both current and former ambassadors in the room, it would be important to let the officials who were the current officials and who were the former officials. 3) But don't have to include former positions, e.g. Former Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to .... after his name in correspondence. On the mailing envelope use: Ambassador (Full Name) And in a social salutation use: Dear Ambassador (Surname), -- Robert Hickey Mr. Hickey On this issue, the advice given does not conform with standards and practice elsewhere. For example: not only “ambassador”, but once entitled to the title “Excellency”, its holder may retain the right to that courtesy throughout his or her lifetime, in accordance with widespread international custom, diplomatic norms, and social usage.

See: Protocol – The Complete Handbook of Diplomatic, Official, and Social Usage (page 21), by Mary Jane McCaffree and Pauline Innes, published by Hepburn Books, Dallas, Texas, in 1977, 1985, 1989, 1997 [ISBN 0-941402-04-5]. --O'Donnell Dear O'Donnell, I see it the text you mention. It's on page 36 of the 25th Anniversary Edition of Protocol, which is the one I have. I normally say the book is the 'Bible' but in this case the authors mis-state the tradition. Only a currently accredited ambassador is officially addressed as Your Excellency. At the Congress of Vienna, 1814-15, the courtesy title Your Excellency. was invented to designate the current representative of one head-of-state to another head-of-state. Until that time … having more than one person from Country X with the rank of "Ambassador" caused confusion in Country Y. The heads-of-state involved in the Congress were all addressed with a courtesy title – Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, etc.

– so granting a courtesy title to Country X's current representative set the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary apart from all similarly ranked ambassadors in Country Y. -- Robert Hickey How to Address a Former Foreign Ambassador Who Is a Now a Consul General? We have the Consul General of Brazil coming for a visit next month. While he is currently the Consul General of Brazil in Atlanta, he served as an Brazilian ambassador earlier in his career and retains that title. How should he be addressed: His Excellency (Name), Ambassador (Name) or The Honorable (Name)? -- Fuller Wilson Dear Mr. Wilson, Former ambassadors continue to be addressed in as Ambassador (Name). Only the currently accredited ambassador from one country to another is addressed as His / Her / Your Excellency. I predict some people will correct you since you are addressing a "consul general' as an "ambassador." Tell them that his rank of 'ambassador' is not based on his current role. Use the full name of Brazil on the program: Consul General of the Federative Republic of Brazil -- Robert Hickey How a Should Non-US Citizen Address an American Ambassador ? I am writing an invitation letter to the ambassador of the United States to Japan.

According to your book the ambassador should be addressed by US citizens as The Honorable John V. Roos. But I am a Japanese citizen. I will be writing to him in care of the US Embassy in Tokyo. Should I address him as The Honorable (Full Name) as the U.S. citizens do? Or should I address him as His Excellency (Full Name)? ~ T. Suzuki Dear T. Suzuki: Using The Honorable (Full Name) would be honoring his US tradition -- would be how a US citizen would address him -- and how he would expect to be addressed in the USA (at home). It is not wrong for you to use it. Using His/Her Excellency (Full Name) will follow the diplomatic custom -- and how he would expect to be addressed outside the USA and in Japan. Both are correct, but use Excellency since you are in Japan and are a Japanese citizen. -- Robert Hickey Proper Salutations for Government Officials | Our Everyday Life Proper Salutations for Government Officials by Laura Reynolds A Library of Congress mural portrays government's job of protecting and defending its citizens.

Related Articles How to Address an Email to an Army Officer Most government officials have email and some even "Twitter." These may work for informal communication, but the most effective way to connect with an official is to clearly and concisely commit ideas to paper in a registered letter or converse in person. Addressing your letter correctly or using the proper salutation in conversation insures that what you say will command attention--and a reply. The Office, Not the Occupant Much has changed since Emily Post published her first collection of rules of etiquette in 1922, but the concept of etiquette as a common language of social behavior has persisted. We address our elected and appointed government officials in specific ways, not so much as an expression of respect for them (although many deserve such respect) as for the office that they occupy. The titles and salutations that we use are based mostly on custom. Some, like the Massachusetts governor's salutation of "Your Excellency" are dictated by state law and date back centuries. Some, like "Mr. President," are based on an official's (in this case, George Washington himself) insistence on breaking with a tradition.

Each office carries with it a set of responsibilities and privileges but, at least in democratic nations, the office represents the people who fill it and salutations are designed to reflect that concept, not to convey an image of personal power. The Basics The first rule of salutation is to use the proper title. For example, all judges are not alike; some are magistrates, some municipal or circuit judges and some are Supreme Court justices. The proper salutation should include the tile of the office and the person's surname, as in Justice Sotomayor and Chief Justice Roberts. Using given names would be considered too familiar, but complete names are used with "The Honorable" in an address, similar to the way "Mr." or "Ms." is used in business: The Honorable Judge of the 7th Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan, John A. Gadola The Honorable Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Shirley S. Abrahamson Using these address forms or other descriptive information would make a salutation awkward, so the second rule is to use the briefest form of the official's office with a last name or "Mr." or "Madam" (following Washington's example).

The briefer forms allow the salutation to flow easily into the body of the letter or the conversation. Most officials, including members of Congress, state legislatures, governors and mayors can be greeted in the same way, by using their office (Representative, Senator or Governor) and last name in salutation: Mr. Mayor Mayor Wiggins Madam Attorney General Attorney General Blaine Times Change Once upon a time, rulers were addressed with superlatives like Your Highness or Your Excellency. Over time, though, manners change. Most etiquette guides and many government departments publish proper forms of address, salutation and closing for many government officials, and some variations are inevitable due to internal protocols and the date of the guide's most recent revision. The U.S. Department of State's rules of protocol are usually the most reliably current; diplomats are in a critical position and can't afford to offend anyone. For most of us, though, if we remember the idea that we're addressing an office and that we should use the correct title in its briefest form, our salutation will be proper whether used in a business letter or reception line.

References Forms of Address Forms of Address The Most Reverend First name, Archbishop of Place name Your Eminence The Most Reverend Full name, Archbishop of Place name Your Excellency The Venerable Full name, Archdeacon of Place name Dear Archdeacon Last name The Right Reverend Full name, Bishop of Place name Right Reverend Sir or Dear Bishop Last name Bishop, other Protestant The Most Reverend Full name, Bishop of Place name Your Excellency or Dear Bishop Last name Cardinal His Eminence First name Cardinal Last name Your Eminence The Reverend Full name or The Reverend Full name, D.D. Dear Mr./Ms. Last name or Dear Dr. Last name Dean of a Cathedral, Episcopal The Very Reverend Full name, Dean of Place name Dear Dean Last name The Right Reverend Monsignor Full name Dear Monsignor His All Holiness the Patriarch of Place name Your All Holiness His Holiness the Patriarch of Place name Your Holiness Your Holiness or Most Holy Father Priest, Roman Catholic The Reverend Full name or The Reverend Full name, S.J.

(or other order) Dear Reverend Father or Dear Father Rabbi, man or woman Rabbi Full name or Rabbi Last name Dear Rabbi Last name The Honorable Full name, The Ambassador of the United States Sir/Madam or Dear Mr./Madam Ambassador Ambassador to the U.S. His/Her Excellency Full name, The Ambassador of Place name Excellency or Dear Mr./Madam Ambassador Secretary General, United Nations His/Her Excellency Full name, Secretary General of the United Nations Dear Mr./Madam/Madame Secretary general The Honorable Full name, United States Representative to the United Nations Sir/Madam or Dear Mr./Ms. Last name United Nations Representative, foreign His/Her Excellency Full name, Representative of Place name to the United Nations Excellency or My dear Mr./Madam Last name Government officials

Question: What is the correct way of addressing an Ambassador?
Answer: """YOUR EXCELLENCY"""